11 June 2010

Tale of the savanna

There are a variety of stories of creation and legends of how elements of our world came into being in every corner of our planet. Drawing upon these tales, Disney crafted its own stories for the savanna of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. These narratives are posted for all to enjoy and carry with them a story circle.

FLORAWhen the world was young, the Mother of Life came upon this place and saw nothing but dry earth and bare rock. Knowing that her animal children would soon arrive, she cast a lush carpet of tall grass upon the ground to soften their footsteps. She scattered thick brush about as places to rest and hide. She planted tall acacia trees with broad canopies of leaves, to offer cool shade from the hot sun and shelter from the pouring rains. Finally, she made the flowers, which waved in the breeze and welcomed the animals to their new home.

WATERMany summers ago, a herd of wildebeest traveled from waterhole to waterhole, only to find them all dry. One day, while resting from their endless searching, the herd was startled by a loud rumble. Looking up, they saw dark clouds on the horizon. Unsure of the sound, the animals prepared to flee. But one young wildebeest paused, sniffed the air, and caught the faint scent of rain. Boldly, he moved towards the clouds. The others cautiously followed, and soon they found pools of fresh rainwater. To this day, wildebeest migrate toward the sound thunder, and the promise of life-giving rain.

FAUNAWeary of the scarcity of food, a wise old story called a council. “Giraffe,” he said, “You alone can reach the tender leaves of the trees. Let the others eat the grass.” To the zebra and wildebeest, he said, “Do not feed in one place, move to where the grass is always fresh and tender.” So one by one, he showed the animals how to share the savanna. Finally, a tiny voice said, “What about me?” Looking down at a small beetle, the stork laughed and said, “My friend, the others will leave plenty behind for you.”And that is how the dung beetle came to be.